The biggest challenge in compiling and analyzing data on the haunt consumer
is defining the industry. Is a haunted house
that attracts local families or a farm that
transforms into a haunted hayride the same
type of business as a large-scale destination
haunt like the 13th Floor Haunted Houses
in Chicago, Denver, Phoenix or San
Antonio? How should we classify Halloween
attractions that have been integrated into
theme parks like Universal Studios, Knott’s
Berry Farm, Busch Gardens and Six Flags?

At The Nightmare Zone, we count them all, as
long as they operate like a business.

An added dimension for the hauntindustry, unlike most businesses, is an age-related, but not fixed, boundary betweenfamily entertainment and for-adults-onlyhorror experiences. It’s up to parents to drawthat line based on their child’s personalityand upbringing, but it’s safe to say thatfamilies with kids under age 14 or 15 are theprime target for local haunted houses andhayrides or child-oriented theme parks. Ifthat’s your market, you can read more abouttoday’s kids, Gen Z, on pages 8 and 9.

The sweet spot for haunted attractions,
as opposed to trick or treating or Halloween
parties, is couples in their late teens and 20s,
especially when they are on a date, explains
one source with decades of experience
working in different aspects of the business.

The adrenaline rush of fear (without a realdanger of death), the freedom to screamand the need for a supportive hand to holdcomplement the emotions of dating, hepoints out.

Haunted attractions are also finding that
they can increase that adrenaline rush by
turning a visitor or viewer into a participant.
“People from younger generations like to be
part of the action,” comments BJ Winslow,
co-CEO of Dapper Cadaver, a company
that works with haunted houses, theme
parks, film/TV/web productions, theaters,
video game companies and event planners
across the haunt industry. “You see it in the
growing popularity of escape rooms, games
like zombie laser tag and immersive-theater
haunt experiences. It’s not a coincidence
that shows like Westworld and Black Mirror

UNCOVER CONSUMER INSIGHTS THAT COULD LIFT YOUR BUSINESS

Is there one Halloween/haunted
attraction business sector—or two or
three? It depends on how the industry
is de;ned.

The Haunted Attraction Association(HAA) differentiates two sectors—theHalloween Attraction and HauntedAttraction industries—but states thatits preference is that “both industriesfall under the category of HalloweenAttraction Industry, which by ourde;nition is an attraction themed aroundHalloween or that falls within Octoberand that charges admission.”By this de;nition, the HalloweenAttraction/Haunt Attraction industry isworth $1 billion in gross revenue on anannual basis. Here’s how that breaks down:Haunted Attractions: HAA estimatesthat there are approximately 2,000haunted attractions charging admissionfees to their events. In addition, theorganization estimates that 300 themeparks and amusement centers produce aHalloween or haunted event in the fall.

Under this umbrella, HAA also groups
another 1,000-plus attractions produced
by local charity organizations.

HAA estimates that this sectorgenerates between $450 million and $500million in ticket sales each year, withhaunts contributing about $300 millionand theme parks with Halloween eventsadding $150 million to $200 million.

Halloween Attractions: Representing
more than 1,500 events nationwide, this
sector includes haunted hayrides, horror
campouts, corn mazes and pumpkin
patches. For struggling farmers, revenue
from a Halloween attraction could
realistically keep them from going under.

HAA estimates that revenue for the
Halloween attraction sector is roughly
equal to the haunted attraction business
at between $450 million and $500
million per year.